NOVEL NEXT Chapter 147 Visiting The Astellia's Capital (2) Arriving
"So that is the Astellia Kingdoms Capital, huh... So this is a real fantasy world human capital, huh..." Lyan uttered as he gazed to the front.
At the distance, the big wall covering the whole big city could be seen, and buildings that could rarely be seen in normal cities or towns stood firmly and magnificently. Of course, the most impressive building of the capital city is the most important place out of all, the place where the most important people of the kingdom live.
"The royal castle..." Lyan uttered as he saw the magnificent castle that clearly is the heart of the capital.
Just from the distance alone, the complex and magnificent building that gives off a hint of elegance, wealth, power, and authority. The design of the castle is similar to a medieval western castle on earth, but with a touch of magic that indicates the existence of the extraordinary element called magic different from earth.
"I'm interested, but I guess that's something that I should be avoiding as much as I could right now, huh...?" Lyan uttered with a wry smile as the face of William, or the crown prince of the Astellia Kingdom, Erich. With how he's getting targeted by Erich, it will be too troublesome for him if he got spotted by him right now.
After he separates his path with Julius the captain of the Astellian royal knights, Lyan skillfully gets away from the surveillance team that intentionally got left by Julius under Erich's orders. It's not something difficult for Lyan who masters illusion magic to deceive the surveillance team that is tailing him and his wagon.
(I made three different illusions of me and made them follow others' wagons. They must be very confused at the time when my illusion spell dissipated) (Lyan)
"Now! Time to enter the so-called royal capital, I guess!" Lyan said excitedly as he tapped his thigh. Without any need of pulling the reins,
the black horse replied with a neigh and immediately started walking. Lyan sensed a hint of eagerness and curiousness from his voice when he let out his neigh.
As the black horse walks slowly, it's visible that there is a hint of excitement in his steps.
(He must be interested in whether there are high-quality mares he could lay inside there, isn't he?) (Lyan)
Along the journey, the black horse has always been mating with the mares or even female donkeys that are living inside the same barn or stable where Lyan put him in. Even though Lyan wants to scold him, all of the owners of the barns or the stables get happy rather than mad since a strong, big, and smart black horse mating with their mares will give them a high-quality breed of horses in a few years.
"You'll die getting bitted by a mare one day," (Lyan)
*Neigh!*
The black horse replied with a neigh as if saying, "It's my pleasure~", which made Lyan further annoyed and let out a snort while plucking some of his manes.
Unlike other towns and cities, the defense system of the capital city is visible and clear, and guards registering the names of the ones entering and leaving the capital city are more visibly experienced. They are not just people with the ability in administration, but Lyan could tell with a single glance that they all have decent swordsmanship and spearmanship in them.
There are two books of registrations that are made in order to make sure there is no entry manipulation could be made, there is a single person that job is to determine from the look of the person whether he or she has an evil intention to enter the kingdom or not.
"Name," The guard that was tasked to note the entry registration book asked Lyan's name.
"Arkanium," (Lyan)
"What do you come here for?" The man with the job to observe and noticing criminals stares at Lyan with a pair of sharp eyes.
"I'm here for a tour and sightseeing before going further north to the eternal winter," Lyan replied gently in a manner that gives off the vibe of the son of a wealthy noble or merchant.
The guards nod after observing for a moment, and let him inside the capital after asking for the entry fee from him.
Not long after he entered through the gate-
"Easy as always," Lyan uttered with a smirk as he snapped his fingers and the magic that he used in order to let him enter the capital city easily without having to face any troublesome hindrance.
Of course, he's not letting them see his bare face since there is a possibility of the crown prince notifying the whole capital guards and knights about his existence and look, so Lyan cast an illusion mask to make a fake face of an honest-looking rich boy to make the guards let him in easily.
As the wagon moves slowly inside, Lyan finally could feel and see the situation and vibe inside the capital city directly with his both eyes and ears.
"Wow... It's not less lively than the city of Arkansas," Lyan uttered as he saw the liveliness of the capital city in the middle of the day.
Just like in the city of mercenaries and merchants, Arkansas, there are stalls and vendors selling various types of items that are made in the Astellia Kingdom. Unlike in other places, the people crowds and bought the things with a happy faces on their faces.
It's easy to see that they are not in a difficult state for food since they are buying things other than necessities for their life. But even so-
(Social gap- No, it's more like an uncontrolled rule, huh?) (Lyan)
Lyan has heard the rumor about the king of the Astellia Kingdom being inactive and how the crown prince is the one going all over the place to maintain the peace and the development of the kingdom's prosperity. Even if it's a crown prince, there is a limit of authority that he could hold and use as a card, especially against powerful nobles of the kingdom.
Unlike a king, the command and authority of a crown prince weigh the same if not weaker than a powerful and experienced noble like a duke, count, or marquis, making it difficult for a single crown prince to make a decision as a heart without getting influenced by the opinions of the other nobles, especially if his supporters are not many.
On the southern side of the kingdom to the border of the Astellia Kingdom and the city of mercenaries and merchants, Arkansas, the big territory belongs to one of the dukes of the kingdom. Different from the capital city and the surroundings, the southern side towns, cities, and villages are under the influence of a certain duke.
Judging from how inside the towns, cities, and villages in the south there are people that are starving and seems to be in poverty despite having such a capital city that has even a commoner that doesn't look like he has lots of money to buy something other than necessities and food.
(And it conveys how the capital under the leadership of the crown prince is still stable and prospering, huh... I guess the rumor about him being a perfect king candidate is not a lie, huh?) (Lyan)
"I keep on sensing the increase of the level of the Acid Ant Queen and her servants, looks like the expedition of the Valkyries is going smoothly," Lyan uttered as he sense another telepathy from the Acid Ant Queen about how her soldiers defeated another enemy and made her leveled up as well.
After the fight with the Valkyrie's sworn enemy and their recovery, the Valkyries and Lyan encountered the planned illegal slavery at the perimeter of the Astellia Kingdom which made the Valkyries to decide to investigate on the matter. It's been several days and it made him curious how much progress they had already done and whether they found their former that they have been searching for.
"Well, my job is only to wait and trust them that they are doing their best. They will immediately contact me if they are in a danger or need my help. For now, let's go search for a comfortable inn and have some drink first!" (Lyan)
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Name: Lyan Arkanium Evocatore
Occupation: Mythril-ranked Mercenary
Money: 3,797,710,950 Elnes / 3797 gold 71 big silver 9 big coppers 5 coppers
Weapon: Magic Glaive, 1 (Decent) One-handed Sword, 2 (Good-Quality) One-handed swords, 1 (Decent) bow
Equipment: Black leather cloak, Leather Armor, Breastplate, 2 Health Potions, 2 Poison Vials
Grimoire's Companions: 8 High Spirits, 3 Valkyrie, Shadow Goblin Lord (Lv. 5), Papilio Slime (Lv. 45), Galewing Butterfly (Lv. 45), Rock Golem (Lv. 50), Deadlight (Lv. 63), Moonlight Butterfly (Lv. 45), Ice Golem (Lv. 50), Acid Ant Queen (Lv. 9), Magma Bear (Lv. 1), Fey Mammoth (Lv. 1), Arcane Retriever (Lv. 1)
Grimoire's Army: 6 Shadow Servants, 800 Skeleton Army